Mercy of Social Forces: Beggar's Opera Sadly Term Paper

Why has the Beggar's Opera remained popular with theatergoers for so long? Fair enough question for something that's been around for the past 275 years. A considerable life for any play that depicted the society of when it was originally performed.

Written by John Gay, and first performed on 29th January 1728, The Beggar's Opera as it was mockingly named, is anything but an opera for it lacks the antiquity, seriousness and most importantly the Italian touch to qualify to be an opera. What it is, is a humorous musical which involves the character periodically busting into song, with the audience finding it hard to restraint their laughter as the play takes as many opportunities to attack the classical opera setting.

The three act play which is a constant battle of wits starts with the Beggar (representing the author, and the Player warning the audience that what they are about to see is anything but the conventional opera, a warning which remains true to the end. What follows is a funny politically incorrect drama that criticizes the governance and high society of the era.

The satirical play encapsulates the moral values and ethics of the politicians and noblemen and tears apart all that they hold dear unfolding with exchange of dialogue between criminal and corrupted statesmen in constant pursuit to out do the other.The plot set in 18th century London immediately resonates with present day audiences, even now in the present day world where corruption fueled by greed the play bears meaning making fun and taking every chance to slander the very fabric of society that most of us are made to respect keeps viewers entertained.

With over 60 songs with lyrics that could easily be mixed with a little beat and pass of as a hit rap number with verses like "But he so teased me, and so pleased me..." Has something in common with even today's public. The characters consisting of criminals portray the upper class as felons claiming right to rule with laws that protected the rich and banished the poor to a life of permanent poverty in a society that used illiteracy as a tool. Within the story line the cunning and street-smart vagabonds are made to look like heroes, which is typical even today.

The primary reason why people still enjoy the play is the sad but obvious similarities that were all so obvious in Gay's world to the present day world, which makes one reflect if it was Gay who was far ahead of his time in pointing out a society which fed on the misery of others or is it the fact….....